Community Action Research at the Whitney
As part of the Trade School's program
A Coincidence of Wants at the Whitney Museum of American Art, I ran a Sculptural Event/ Workshop with SUNY Purchase College Art For Social Change Students Aaron Krach, Juliet Orbach, Julie Novello, Meg Welch, and Catherine McTague. Our participants braved the icy March weather in the Whitney Museum courtyard to gather around a set of furniture in the shape of the 5 boroughs of New York City (+ Long Island) with hot spiked cider and paint pens, creating a collaborative race, transport, resource and stereotype map of New York City.
This was part of a community action research workshop that focused on techniques for exploring a community from the varied perspectives of the people in that community, without having to rely on the “Official” perspectives put forth by those who already have a voice, and included community mapping, transect walks, and other techniques for getting a foothold in new communities.
© christopher robbins 1998-now